A former U.S. Army staff sergeant will receive the nation's highest award for combat valor for his actions in repelling an insurgent onslaught in Afghanistan in 2009. He is the fourth living recipient to receive the award for service in Iraq or Afghanistan.

President Obama said on Friday that Clinton Romesha will receive the Medal of Honor next month.

The assault on the outpost in the eastern province of Nuristan goes down as one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

According to the citation accompanying the award, Romesha and fellow soldiers awakened to an attack by an estimated 300 enemy fighters occupying the high ground on all four sides of their complex. They were firing rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns and mortars.

Romesha moved uncovered under intense enemy fire multiple times to muster reinforcements and fire on attackers.

He took out an enemy machine gun team and, while engaging a second, was wounded by shrapnel when a generator he was using for cover was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.

He fought on undeterred, exposing himself to "heavy enemy fire" while moving "confidently about the battlefield. Romesha engaged and destroyed "multiple enemy targets." He also directed air support to destroy more than 30 enemy fighters and saved other wounded troops.

"Staff Sergeant Romesha's heroic actions throughout the day long battle were critical in suppressing an enemy that had far greater numbers. His extraordinary efforts gave Bravo Troop the opportunity to regroup, reorganize and prepare for the counterattack that allowed the troop to account for its personnel and secure Combat Outpost Keating," according to the award citation.

According to the book, "The Outpost" by Jake Tapper, which examines the events leading up to and on the deadly day, Romesha exhibited intense courage and determination as the outnumbered U.S. troops and Afghan allies battled an enemy force numbering in the hundreds.

Tapper says Romesha is the "son of a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church in Cedarville, California."

His parents, according to the book "had hoped he would follow his father into the church leadership, and Romesha had in fact gone to seminary for four years during high school - from five till seven every morning - but ultimately it just wasn't for him."

"He didn't even go on a mission, a regular rite for young Mormon men. Romesha was better suited to this kind of mission, with guns and joes under his command," Tapper wrote.

The battle that started early on October 3 and lasted for 12 hours, according to CNN reporting. Eight American soldiers and more than 100 militants were killed and much of the outpost was destroyed. Twenty-two U.S. troops were wounded.

A U.S. military investigation said the outpost was an "attractive target" because protection improvements hadn't been made and intelligence assets had been diverted to assist other combat operations elsewhere.

It also said "intelligence assessments had become desensitized to reports of massing enemy formations by previous reports that had proved false."

The military says militants had been planning the attack for days, hiding mortars, rockets and heavy machine guns in the mountains.

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Well done, Sgt. Romesha. Had just started the final third of Jake Tapper's outstanding book "The Outpost" when I saw your picture & the words COP Keating. Stayed up til 3 am to finish the book & cry, especially when Mace died. Our youngest did a year with an ISAF team up in another province – the shuras, the contractors – and he came home. You & your amazing men held fast and did your jobs and more. As a mother, my heart bleeds for those families whose sons, husbands, & brothers came home in coffins. As a mother, my heart bursts with pride at what you and the other men did-there aren't enough MOHs or Silver Stars to go around, as far as I'm concerned. I'll be watching when you receive your Medal of Honor, and I know you'll be thinking of the ones you left behind.

Bibi – Something tells me you will end up on the wrong side of one of our servicemen's rifles one day Bibi, and i hope that day is soon. Hopefully you'll understand how useless and worthless of a human being you are before you die, but if not, just die, that's good enough for me.

A unit of the Armed Forces confronted an armed terrorist group which tried to attack a law-enforcement checkpoint in al-Taibah village in Homs countryside.

A source in the province told SANA reporter that the majority of the terrorist group members were killed and wounded, adding that the terrorists' car was destroyed.

In the village of Berj Qa'ie in Homs countryside, the Armed Forces destroyed a terrorist hideout, two cars equipped with DShK machineguns, a mortar launcher, and a workshop for manufacturing explosive devices.

The Syrian army units pursued armed terrorist groups in al-Maliha, Daraya, al-Hajar al-Aswad and al-Tadamon areas in Damascus countryside and eliminated a number of their leaders.

An official source told SANA reporter that an army unit destroyed a number of cars equipped with heavy machineguns and eliminated all members of an armed terrorist group, including terrorist Mistafa Kheir Allah and terrorist Mahmoud Allam in al-Maliha town.

Army units continued their operations in Daraya city and eliminated a number of snipers, including Ghassan Shamma, Abdullah al-Borma and Khaled Habib.

In al-Hajar al-Aswad and al-Tadamon outskirts, the Armed Forces carried out two qualitative operations and killed a number of armed terrorist groups' leaders including Alaa Dakak, Ammar al-Masri and Rami Jouma.

It doesn't matter that daddy will wake up having nightmare about what happened and won't forget the eyes of the people he had to kill..... Main thing that you guys can get excited about what a hero he is.

Yes of course it matters very much that daddy has PTSD. This has nothing to do with the story and is a very pitiful attempt to use this story to push a political agenda. Acknowledging this mans heroism is in no way the same as condoning the horrors or war- which any normal human being abhors. This is about a man in a horrible situation puting others above himself, and putting himself at risk to save others. Its not about whether wars are right or not. The war would still be there no matter how this man had acted.

January 12, 2013 at 11:32 pm |

Army Guy

Agree. He is a hero. Folks here don't realize that our troops don't relish the killing of human beings. SSG Romesha did a heck of a job.

Leave it to all of you to miss the point !!!
Thank you Sgt. Romesha for your excellent service to our country !!! I am honored to be living in this country where we acknowledge the actions of our outstanding servicemen and women !! It's men like you that make it so others might go home to their families and friends !!! I apologize for the thoughtless people here who have posted comments not pertaining to your accomplishment on the battlefield !!! Being a veteran myself I salute you !!!

Bibi
Not sure what you had in your KOOLAID or what you might be SMOKING, but until you have walked the walk or serviced the DUTY. You are way out of line. These young folks volunteered to service so you could be you. And nothing more than a Thank You from is all you should say.

Just remember you stu-pud Americans, our enemies are your enemies. We create the enemy and you fight and kill them for us. We israelis are your masters and when we say jump you ask how high?

Listen up! The next war were going to make you stu-pud American John Wayne freaks who want to me like this mormon joe and who wants to get medals for killing our enemies will be in Iran. Then you can kill as many Persians as you can get into to your rifle sight. Yeah . . . .kill all our enemies and we'll give you medals.

Gee . . . you are a bunch of dopes. You stupid Americans are chest puffed out because this mormon joe is getting all this attention. . . . its so funny. Some of you stupid dopes are posting, thank yous to this mormon joe. How dumb.

Just remember, we smart israelis have Iran surrounded with your stupid military and sometime this year when your master Bibi gives you stupid cattle the green light to attack Iran, you can kill all our enemies for us.

Just don't go thinking you'll see any of our brave idf soldiers fighting along side you stupid americans. We will be lounging on the red sea drinking wine while you stupid dopes will be getting wounded, shot at and killed for us.

you sound like a muk muk .from Palestine .when the world is rid of your types there will be peace

January 12, 2013 at 7:37 pm |

MC

Sounds more like an inbred hillbilly skinhead type, probably from West Virginia.

January 12, 2013 at 7:50 pm |

Bibi Owns You

Nahhh, I'm from Southern Mexico. There are a lot of zine-0-ists in Southern Mexico.

Listen, and you can hear my accent: Coma esta y'all?

See, I'm a good ol' boy even though I speak Hebrew.

Yeah . . . we are the smartest people in the world. We own America and our rabbi says it okay to kill Americans as they are like cattle. All goyim are like cattle.

Yipppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

January 12, 2013 at 7:57 pm |

Troll Spotter

Silly Man your post ties for the Worst attempt at Trolling ever on the Internet.

January 12, 2013 at 8:43 pm |

Robrob

Obvious troll is obvious.

January 12, 2013 at 9:22 pm |

jim

Go take another toke, idot. The sooner you pass out and leave the rest of us alone, the better

January 12, 2013 at 11:17 pm |

Madmax

Bibi is a liar. No way is he Jewish.

January 13, 2013 at 12:43 am |

Zeitgeist

All your country exists for...is to be a warning system for the fall of western influence in the region. Your enemies will come into your homes and kill you before our country decides to respond.

January 13, 2013 at 1:22 am |

dun ryun

zeitgeist is another moronic loon, because that will never happen

January 13, 2013 at 2:06 am |

Jim

The picture in the article doesn't seem to be correct.. I was a SPC5 pencil pusher in a headquarters unit in S. Korea in 1979 in the 2nd Div – correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this courageous man is wearing a 2nd Div patch "2nd to none" we used to shout!

Hey, you're right! But, look at his rank...SGT/E5. The book says he was a SSG, which means he probably deployed with 4th BCT/4ID AFTER he came back from Korea.

There you go.

January 12, 2013 at 9:02 pm |

Jim

Thanks, Jonny, I was not aware of that – I kept that Indian head patch on a couple of my old uniforms, my kids wear them now to play and work outside in. I used to think my 12 months at Camp Casey was a long tour; (no internet or email or celll phone to family) – you guys pull crazy long duty in bad places now – my hat's off to you!

January 12, 2013 at 9:03 pm |

Jonny

Tom, Not after Korea. This photo was most likely taken before the 2007-2008 deployment of 2-2ID out of Ft. Carson. He would have been an E-5 at the time very likely. It was re-flagged after the deployment. The CMOH was awarded on is 4-4 deployment in 2009.

January 13, 2013 at 3:11 am |

Clearthinkin

Jim,

2nd ID relocated their HQ from Camp Red Cloud, Korea to Joint Base Lewis-McChord(Fort Lewis), WA in the late 90's. 1 BDE is still in Korea but 3 BDE's are now back in the states. 2ID has a pretty good history in both OIF & OEF. The photo was probably a deployment photo. They take them prior to deploying so they can be used for Hometown News Release. He was probably promote on deployment.

I can't stand bloodthirstiness disguised as patriotism. You guys are full of hatred. You have disturbed the lives of millions of people. Killed them, maimed them, turned them into orphans, widows, cripples and you have the nerve to be proud of it.

Go back to your computer games where you can shed virtual blood without hurting anybody.

You my friend are sad and disgusting. The nonsense you post is a disgrace, and you sir should be ashamed of yourself. These young men and women leave friends and family to fight wars that I’m certain many of them don't believe in. Nevertheless, they step up and fight the battles so that we don’t have to; they do it because they are brave and honorable folks who gave their word to protect us and our country when called upon, a trait which is obviously, and completely outside of your character.

UNFORTUNATELY ,YOU'RE A SICKO MAN..WHAT WOULD U DO IF 100 AFGANS WERE COMING AFTER YOU WITH GUNS ? JUST STAND THERE LIKE AN IDIOT.. YOU'RE A "TOTAL" FOOL MAN OR PERSON, UNWORTHY OF SUCH STUPID ,STUPIDITY COMMENTS.. GO HIDE IN YOUR ROOM. ! IDIOT..

Wars are declared by civilians..the civilians that you elect. Dont blame the soldier that would much rather be home with his/her own families. Our leaders are civilians. YOU are the ones that choose to send our soldiers out.

Why are they treating the LDS stuff as if it's some blind tradition that Mormons follow? Either you believe it or you don't. It's not about personality types and preferring guns over books. Guy obviously doesn't buy the divinity of the religion of his upbringing. Following in family footsteps and tradition have litterally no role in Mormon life at all. He looked at it, said I'm not that devout and decided the military was a more worthy course for him. I realize Catholics and Jews tend to identify with that for life even if they are not active, but that's not the way Mormons are.

I see that some stupid Tea Partier stole my screen name and is now posting his right-wing, pro-war drivel under it for his own self amusement! For the record, I have no use for that useless war in Afghanistan and I say get out of there as soon as possible!

I stole YOUR screen name? Did you ever serve with the 5th Marines? I did: 1968-1969, in the An Hoa basin area of Quang Nam province, South Vietnam. I was wounded/disabled fighting NVA at a place called Phu Nham Dong (2) in April '69. I don't post "for amusement", I post primarily to counter trash posted by cretins like you who are immature, out-of-touch, insane, or just enemies of this country and our freedoms.

Semper Fi Marine and thank you for your sacrifice. God bless you and all who serve to protect us.

January 12, 2013 at 11:13 pm |

A 5th Marine

Thank you Mike. When I came home from Bethesda Naval Hospital in '69 I was in uniform with my arm in a sling, seabag on my shoulder, walking down the streets of Pittsburgh. People would cross the street to avoid me and the cold stares and pointed look-aways hurt and confused me. Got on a crowded bus, but had a section of the back to myself. I'd come from the bush directly to the hospital and wasn't aware of the receptions Vietnam combat vets got. Had one employer actually tell me "We can't hire you because we're afraid you'll kill our employees!" I was too stunned to answer – I should have asked him how many NVA/VC he had working for him.

Although it's much better now, after reading many posts we should remember to thank our soldiers and Marines who've had to struggle under multiple deployments (because the politicians are to scared to reinstate the draft – if it's a war, everyone should do their part). I am very proud of today's military personnel, for all the crap they have to put up with, and sincerely thank each one I meet.

January 13, 2013 at 3:02 pm |

A 5th Marine

Additionally, I am NOT a "Tea Partier", I am not a Republican, I am not a Christian (not that it should matter), I AM a USMC combat veteran who had the PRIVILEGE of serving with the 5th Marine Regiment. It offends me that some jerk would assume ANY relationship with MY REGIMENT if they didn't serve with it.

I'm the other "A 5th Marine", the one who really was with the 5th, and I agree with your take 100%. You cannot imagine (but perhaps, I bet you do) how furious I am that someone would claim association with the 5th or any Marine unit and spout crap like that.

January 13, 2013 at 3:07 pm |

ThatGuy

Yes, get out of a war. Are you mental? Why are we wasting money, lives, and time in Afghanistan? I don't care about those people at all. I don't want any more friends to die "bringing freedom," to that part of the world. I'd much rather sit home and watch them implode, Israel included. Now, if I get the call, I'll put on my uniform and go to fight...but I'll continue to push to bring all my friends home.

Additionally, "SOF," may I ask which SOF component you serve/served with? I have a strange feeling the answer is "none."

February 7, 2013 at 9:24 pm |

James Green

Nice to see a young hero honored like this. I am especially proud of him as a fellow Mormon. We are raised in the Church to be patriotic and to be pro-active in defending goodness. Obviously Staff Sargent Romesha followed that admonition very well. Lives were saved as a result of his bravery. I must add, however, that I feel our involvement in the Middle East is totally wrong. In fact, we have US Military presence in "154 nations" around the globe. And for that massive intrusion and meddling in others' affairs, we are more hated (by almost everyone) than at any other time in history. Our soldiers are doing a wonderful job, yes! Our politicians, on the other hand, are extremely derelict in their duties. We need to bring ALL our troops home from all over the world... and prepare to be able to defend our own shores. This refereeing of foreign civil wars is getting us nowhere and is actually damaging our reputation and our safety very badly! Plus, we can't afford ANY of it! From a 7 year Navy Veteran of the Vietnam era

You dont need Madel of Honor Talibans. You made the sole Super junk Yankees puke to defeat. Salute to your fallen who fought with AK-47 despite all the odds, high tech stuff and even food. You had the ball to defeat 50 odd thugs of west. You are the MEN!! Keep up cave men!! Were there is will their is a way and you have shown it.

Despite all the odds Taliban won. Taliban with AK-47 and RPG vs 50 technologically advance nations. My hats off for the cave men!! Despite all the odds this has to be one of the greatest victories of Mankind. It truely shows where there is will there is a way. For Yankees another lost despite 600 billion $ of defense budget. Oh Yeah!! You can distribute little medal of honors to Soldiers with fabricated events for face saving but truth is truth and heard to digest i.e. defeat.

January 12, 2013 at 4:52 pm |

A 5th Marine

Hard to believe that someone who can write can be such a deranged idiot. I think that instead of "Taliban won" you meant to say "Taliban run"...from drones, and American soldiers and Marines. What a schmuck you are!

January 12, 2013 at 8:54 pm |

sean

@Yankee from what this article says, these soldiers had very little of the technolgicly advanced gear you speak of, they were out numbered out gunned, in a highly disadvantagous position (down hill and completly surrounded) and yet, even being in the worst posable position, they took out more than 100 militants, but lost only 8 of their own, with 22 wounded that lived. I fail to see how that is a victory on the militants part, but thats just me.

January 12, 2013 at 11:58 pm |

flabbergasted

Mr. Romesha fought and bled for your right to say that. He is a true hero, no matter what unpatrotic brats like you say.

It amazes me that so many folks can sit behind a computer and criticize obvious bravery and heroism. As to why we were there, let's face the facts that operating globally against the gathering storm of terrorism is the new cost of freedom. Remember 9/11? Thank god there are men like Romesha who allow us all to not have to do what he is willing to do. Yes, it is sad, but people out there would like to kill us just because we are Americans and don't believe precisely what they believe...its just a simple sad reality. They won't stop, so we must protect...period.

Yes, Abu Ghraib. Deplorable yes, but I don't think they beheaded anybody there or drug their bodies through the streets before burning them. If such a little thing like AG makes them want to kill us, how about the aforementioned, or 9/11. If it wasn't for whiners like you, and the politicians that pay you mind, the crazy Islamists would be found only in history books.

January 12, 2013 at 9:34 pm |

Joseph McCarthy

Wise up, Rob H. The reason that we're currently in Afghanistan is because of their underground mineral resources such as lithium and copper and little else. Just forget all this right-wing drivel about us "fighting terrorism". In fact, the British could have used the same argument fighting us during the Revolutionary War(1775-1783)!

Ex-soldier!? That makes him look like a degenerate! He is a FORMER active duty soldier! I hate that term ex-soldier! While I don't personally know this soldier I was working at his higher headquarters when Keating happened. His actions saved the lives of many soldiers and I am very proud of him.

Yes. Ex-Soldier. As in, no longer a Soldier. Don't be a "motard." For that matter, I know a lot of ex-Marines as well. Play word games, and tell yourself how special you are all day long, but if you used to be something, and no longer are, then "Ex," is applicable. Should I start calling my ex-wife my "former active duty spouse?" Jesus dude...stop drinking the kool-aid...

There are no "ex-Marines"; there are no "former Marines." There are active, inactive, reserve, and retired Marines, regardless of your denigration of all Marines and soldiers. I don't know if SOF responded to you (I'll look) but I had the privilege of serving with C co, 1st Btn, 5th Marines in the An Hoa Basin area of Vietnam, from Dec '68 thru Apr '69, when I was severely wounded and medevaced out of the bush. Just a grunt, walking point for our company's killer-team (we hunted NVA/VC in a group of 4 to 6 – life expectancy rather short. I earned the right to always be called a Marine, as do all my Marine brothers. Semper fi!

February 8, 2013 at 12:16 am |

Quigley

The more I read these stupid comments here praising this bozo, the more disgusted I get! No wonder they call ours a sick society with all this glorification of killing people. We have absolutely no business even to be in that country let alone killing it's people. Enough is enough!

boy those nuts who hate israel deleted my commets . . . . just to remind you stupid americans, there will be plenty of medals to earn once Bibi gives you dumb-dumbs the green light to attack Iran. Then all you fake John Wayne wanna-bes can die for us. We love to start wars in the Middle East and everywhere we want . . . we want you stupid Americans to die for us since we have become accustomed to having you stupid americans fight and die for us in israel.

Just remember we are your masters and if you don't like it, shut your mouth.

Well said, Quigley. Just ignore all these uneducated right-wing idiots on this web page. It's quite dubious that any of them ever finished elementary school let alone go to high school. Like you said, we must not glorify killing people.

Unfortunately, the government must glorify killing. If they don't, next time there won't be enough cannon fodder for the rich to play with.

January 12, 2013 at 4:30 pm |

A 5th Marine

To you & Quigley: remember 9/11. If that's too much for your fever (drug?) addled brain to remember, how about the recent attack in Benghazi?

I, like most other veterans, finished HS and even have college! Whoa. Parasites on the freedoms of America like you two are one of the best reasons why there should be a draft reinstated. To think that the blood of many of us veterans paid the price for you to abuse our freedoms makes me want to puke. I think you need the thwap of bullets going past your head to wake you up.

January 12, 2013 at 9:27 pm |

Critic

5th Marine, if you were intelligent, you would understand that I am speaking up FOR YOU. It bothers me when the politicians start a war on a whim and sacrifice the best people we have.

January 12, 2013 at 11:25 pm |

Phil

So he and his fellow soldiers were being fired upon by 300 enemy combatants and he was supposed to, what, ask them to stop? Thank God the military doesn't allow dolts like yourself to serve, if you even had the balls to join.

A lot of stupid selfish remarks here, take your ignorance somewhere else, that go's for both sides, next time you get a chance shake a military persons hand, even give them a hug, they all do their Duty!
This one and many more pushed the envelop of personal Courage, Welcome Home Son!

JC, how did you get your rank? As an Active Duty Captain with 3 combat deployments, I've earned my rank the hard way as well along with my awards and Combat Infantryman's Badge. Being called "SGT" has nothing to do with earning your rank the hard way, it has to do with military customs and courtesy. If you've never served, shut the hell up and quit watching war movies and regurgitating comments from people that served 40 years ago.

you probably know nothing of sacrifice and honor you bleeding heart liberal. go burn a bra and sit at a drum circle with your dike lover.

January 12, 2013 at 1:25 pm |

JC

Lyndsie, I can't but think that you must be very young. I grew up during the Vietnam era. I understand your passion against war. But learn to separate the war from the warrior. Romesha is not the one who chose where to fight. He's not the one who sent soldiers to war. He has no responsibility for the rightness or wrongness of the decisions made by people in command. He's just a man, a human being, who in the most horrific possible situation risked his life over and over and over again to defend the lives of the people around him. Separate that from the reasons he was there and honor him for what he did on that terrible day. Save your criticism for the people who made money from it. Honor the people who lived up to the oath they took and did what they had to do to make sure that they and as many of those around them as possible were able to come home.

January 12, 2013 at 1:33 pm |

SOF

she probably has gone through a semester of college, and thinks she has the whole world figured out.

January 12, 2013 at 1:35 pm |

JCII

Thank you JC. I am a five year Navy veteran from the sixties/seventies and the very first time anyone ever said "thank you" to me was TWO years ago when an airline stewardous offered me an empty first class seat to me on Nov 11th. I had never heard that expression before and everyone in the plane stood up and clapped. Trust me, I was so taken I was in tears. I did nothing special except serve my country and make my imigrant father proud, which is all I wanted.

January 12, 2013 at 3:54 pm |

Critic

JC, separating the war from the warrior is like separating cancer from the tumor. The two go together. There is no war without willing warriors and no cancer without tumor.

January 12, 2013 at 4:35 pm |

Critic

“for those who would joyously march in rank and file, they have already earned my contempt, for they were given a large brain by accident when a spinal chord would have sufficed.” Albert Einstein

January 12, 2013 at 6:35 pm |

A 5th Marine

If you have not the courage to earn the freedom you have in our country, don't belittle those to whom you owe a debt you can never repay.

January 12, 2013 at 8:13 pm |

Rescue 7

Wow, what an awesome fight! Outstanding job!
Typical outpost placement by Army brass... AFU'd. Saw a National Geographic special about a firebase that was placed in a similar possition... Seems the Army never mentions who the idiot was who made these stupid requirements. How many times does the war of attrition theory have to fail in order for the Army to learn it doesn't work? Had they been in a high ground possition they may not have even been targeted. And that valley and surrounding area would still be under friendly control.

I just can't get over just how many right-wing idiots keep on blogging in here to go Allah Allah to this man. If this keeps up, this man will become almost as popular as you know who. Praising a man for killing people overseas shows just what a sick society that we're living. Like I said many times before, there is absolutely no glory in killing people in spite of American public opinion!!!

No one is praising him for killing. He's being praised for defending. There are people who owe their lives to him and to what he did that day. Think of how many fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands returned to their families because of him. This is not about praising him for how many he killed. It's about praising him for making sure that so many people could come home again.

Defending what?? Coming from a vet?? Really?? Surprises me that a vet would even ask that question. What a moronic post. I'm glad your comrades could have relied on you in a situation such as this one.

January 12, 2013 at 3:32 pm |

Guest

There IS glory in risking your own safety to protect others, which is why this man was honored. If all he did was take out some enemy machine gun teams, he would have received a lesser award. It's about the people that made it home to their families because of what this soldier did.

Do you understand the concept of sacrificing for others? Or is that just something the rich are expected to do for the poor to you?

I pity this man and the horrors he has witnessed. Everyone who derives some sort of patriotic pleasure from reading this story needs to do some serious introspection. Why do we value violence like this in our society? This man is obviously of the highest bravery in terms of caliber. Yet the mission he has partaken in has done nothing to benefit the American people. Bring him home, let him put this outstanding skills to a better service.

That may not always be true. There are still quite a few people in this world that would love to do harm to us. Most of it is unknown to use, and a significant portion is unknown to the intelligence community. I hate to say it but the best place to start neutralizing our attackers is in the field before they ever even get a chance to assemble their plan of attack. Hobble the enemy before they can walk so to speak. So what may appear as a meaningless war to some, is a dangerously precise and calculated act of defense. You have to consider what goes into planning these sorts of mission and their true unspoken purpose.

I am so very proud of you Clinton, you ARE a Great American (from Joe)!!! I don't know really what to say but thank you for your service and courage, you are a hero and very deserving of the Metal of Honor!!! God Bless you always!!!

You're the fool - its offical name is simply, "The Medal of Honor" and is generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress.

January 12, 2013 at 2:48 pm |

Leave it alone

I'm getting pretty fired about some of these comments. I wasn't there, most if not all of the people in this forum were not there. It went down badly but he managed to save the day at a great risk to himself. It does not matter what the political landscape is when your in the field. You do what you have to do to survive. This guy did things that very few if any of us could ever consider doing. Who are we to judge if he should be brought such an honor?

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the award given by the people for acts of extraordinary valor and heroism. The dignity of the recipient is attested to by the fact that the US Congress (the representatives of us, the people) is the one handing out this prestigious decoration.

Furthermore, although war is a terrible thing we should never diminish the sacred duty our men in uniform perform. Shame on everybody here that has slandered and insulted the heroism of this fine soldier…how the hell do you sleep at night?

Clinton Romesha, you are a wonderful person and I hope you go on to have a very wonderful life. I for one am very grateful to you for your service. You did fine and deserve all the rich blessings of life. Welcome home.

I would bet all the money in my bank account that have done nothing as grand or exceptional with your life as clinton has and for that you are jealous.

January 12, 2013 at 1:30 pm |

Fred

This has nothing to due with politics, so shove off already. If you (and others here) cannot simply acknowledge that the man did something heroric, then I truly feel sorry for you and the fact that you cannot comprehend the sacrifices that have been made over the last 200+ years so that you can sit there at your keyboard and attack people for showing respect to a hero.

January 12, 2013 at 2:54 pm |

Bob

What is an army unit doing down in a hole surrounded on four sides by the enemy????????? I realize I am only a Navy man, BUT THIS IS NOT BRILLIANT.

Well, he's LDS, so the beer is not in the picture. And he's probably one of those people who would be embarrassed if he were treated as something extraordinary (which he is). But he gave his blood to his duty and to his comrades and threw himself, at risk of his own life, into danger. I think he should never pay taxes again. He's given enough.

January 12, 2013 at 1:04 pm |

BigDrop

I'll bet the only time he might ever question his love of country is when he realizes he is putting his life on the line of the likes of you.

He'll get Saluted for the rest of his life but the "Sir" thing doesn't come with it and I doubt he'd even like being called it. I've been out 4 years now and I still cringe when someone calls me Sir lol.

January 12, 2013 at 12:51 pm |

Ruby

He's not a Sergeant any more, having left the service. So, we salute you sir, and the other men of valor, for your prior service in the US Army, and offer deeply felt appologies for the decisions two administrations have made, on our behalf, that put you in harm's way.

It is hard to believe some of the posts here. Here is a hard working "grunt" who volunteered to help his country and it seems half the posts here want to marginalize him and call him a killer.

Comments from Jon "this guy wanted to kill" infuriate me.

Jon do you really think as a young man Clinton joined to spend years training to end up in a little out manned outpost in the desert? It takes years of dedicated training to get to the position he was in. Of the thousands of soldiers that were in Afghanistan the fact he was there was a chance.

Have you read the book of the account?? Be too much work for a guy like you. I have. 53 US soldiers sent there on "orders" not because they "want to kill" were pinned down in a place the leaders should have never had them in. Almost 400 enemies start firing on them, after more than 12 hours incredibly there were only (and I use only with utmost respect for those who perished) 8 American fatalities, 23 wounded.

In the end this brave man and leader fought with incredible bravery so as to not let all 53 of our boys perish. They don't hand out these medals in the Universities these men defend. They hand them out with much thought. If ever there was a soldier that deserves this it is Clinton.

Congratulations Clinton you are an honor to country and many men owe their lives to you.

Bart for some reason I cannot post the links here I want to.
If you google Hero of COP Keating in the Army Times you will see the whole story not just this quip from CNN.

These guys were at this location because they were sent there to watch over a remote supply road used by the Taliban. It was in a terrible location and according to what I have read some of the commanders were disciplined or discharged for leaving these guys there.

What a lot of the negative posters here don't care to realize of bother to look into is these guys were ordered to be in this location at great peril to themselves, they did not volunteer to be in there.

Clinton now lives with his family and 3 children working hard as a safety specialist for an oilfield construction company in North Dakota. I am sure the hard working men and women of that company are very safe from his efforts.

With the comments I have seen some of the posters here will through a negative spin on where he works. However this brave American seems by all accounts to be working hard to support his family. Interesting to see how they spin that one.

Once again Clinton congratulations and thank you for saving so many lives that dreadful day. I hope some day our paths cross and I can shake your hand, it would be an honor.

January 12, 2013 at 3:55 pm |

Great Story, Awful Writing

Such bravery deserves way better writing... and editing! So many typos, such poor grammar... come on CNN!

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." You or I may not agree with the war but ANYTIME someone is willing to lay down their life for another it is to be honored.

Your analogy is a poor one, comparing American soldiers to Taliban. You should be ashamed of yourself and apologize. You must think everyone's morality is equally valid and viable? That it's okay to poison girls to prevent them going to school? Do you know anything about the way the Taliban treat people who disagree with them and the plots they plan? Whether or not you think the war a good idea, or well executed, you should be able to recognize individual valor on the part of soldiers like Mr. Romesha, who tried to make a better life for Afghans and the world in general.

What a load of tripe. There isn't an iota of "honor" in anything any US soldier has done in that whole rotten country. Put a rose on a pile of dung, its just a pile of dung with a rose stuck in it. It's a slap in the face to those who earned that honor in a legitimate scenario, instead of in this asinine, unwinnable war.

The medal is about the man and the way he fought. It has nothing to do with the war. When you think about it, it would be much easier to fight in a war that you feel is "glorious and justified"... the fact that this man fought hard and risked his life for a war that he may not even believe in makes his actions all that much more honorable. Regardless, I'm sure what he did was to survive and to save his fellow soldiers. He wasn't thinking about the war and the politics.

This American hero does not decide the policies of the United States military, he is put in the desert in a tent and that is all. If you have a beef with what we are doing there, that beef is with the President, the Congress or the Generals. Under conditions that would make most men hide in a ditch and crap their pants, this man did what needed to be done to save countless lives and help defend his friends and countrymen. If you cannot honor the individual greatness of a man without lumping him in with the merits of the entire campaign then you have limited cognitive skills and may want to see a specialist.

You are a POS for making suck a remark. Just because you disagree with the US involvement in this conflict does not mean that those who are fighting it are not fighting it in the finest traditions of the U.S. military. When you become a soldier you do not get to choose where you are sent or who you fight.

Your comment betrays your lack of mental competence. We were attacked by al-Qaeda & the Taliban. The war could have been winnable, just as Vietnam could have been, but once again politicians, biased media, and morons like you have hamstrung our efforts. SSgt Romesha did what needed to be done with more concern for his troops than himself. You ain't fit to shine his boots.

Caffiene (sp?) free soda, specificly. I think the guy deserves to be recognized in a positive light for being brave enough to do what he did.

January 12, 2013 at 12:59 pm |

doug

Democrats of today can spew their hate and lies on a message board, where as their National Socialist forefathers had to leave their homes and get to where the soldiers were returning home so that they could spit on them.

Ironic that those who scream peace have created so many wars in this country as pawns and supporters of the great society There is a war going on in almost every 100% Democrat ruled district where the Democrat gangs do their work. 500 shot in 1 year in 100% Democrat controlled and ruled Chicago, just as the Democrats intended.
Chicago is more dangerous than Baghdad or Kabul, Chicago is ran by Democrats.

You sir, are an ass. Spew your garbage somewhere else. This is an article about a genuine American hero. I for one, don't need to hear nonsense from the right about what defines a patriot, a hero, a conscience, correct thinking, blah, blah blah. As a Democrat, I salute you Staff Sergeant and thank you for your service. God Bless America and all its troops.

lol, the truth is seen in the fat that Lou has not and will not respond to his like-minded Democrats all over this thread who are calling this kid a killer and attacking him and our military.

January 12, 2013 at 12:41 pm |

JC

I also extend my thanks, yes as a Democrat, but most importantly as an American, to Romesha, and congratulate him for his well deserved honor. I know that I do not and never will have the courage he has. I'm pleased that he is alive to receive the greatest honor we can bestow on him as a nation. I'm proud of him and his service. I'm in awe of his bravery. Thank you, Sgt. Romesha for all that you did and all that you will yet do.

January 12, 2013 at 12:50 pm |

USMCJO

As a democrat and a veteran – Thank You Lou! This you man is to be commended for his efforts.

January 12, 2013 at 12:50 pm |

Robrob

I'm a Democrat and have spent 32 years in the military. Let me guess, "Doug" has never served?

The GOP is the party of draft dodgers and chickenhawks, and you know it. Just curious, how is John Kerry (a man who served his country in Vietnam) a traitor?? This should be good, as I love to hear the echo from the right wing delusional bubble.

I am retired from the military and I can tell you, most of the infantry and SOF (the ones that do the fighting) were conservatives, not liberals!

January 12, 2013 at 6:44 pm |

JC

Can't you for one day, for one minute, let go of your hate and your need to spew political garbage, long enough to focus on and honor an amazing man? These comments should be a long list of thank you notes to an American hero. Go find someplace else to rant.

I agree...It's sad to see the trollers making other issues out of the story. This guy put up a fight and deterred the enemy and they still complain. I honestly think that the , The Enemy, Taliban, Al Qaeda, and all those terrorist groups have their designated commentators such as the Tea Party used too just to spite stories like this. FBI get with it and start looking into these pitiful sympathizers of the enemy.

I must admit, I dont know this guy yet im very proud of his actions and bravery in helping out his fellow troops... Im pretty sure had the enemies had a brave guy like this displaying true heroics, theyd be just as proud too. Too bad all their heroes BLOW Themselves up... And as for you Jon, if he was not doing the killing he'd be your fellow dead American. Until this administration cleans up the Middle East crap "Halliburton's" George Bush Jr. and Dick Cheney started, the enemy is the enemy and our troops need to kill or be killed until we finally get them out. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS! Yes I said it, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS & GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD including Atheists.

There is good and there is evil. If you cant distinguish and identify the two, you are lost or ignorant to the fact. We are no one to judge or kill a fellow human being, but when you are at war, blood will be shed and id rather it be the enemy I pray for rather than a family member or fellow citizen on our side including you unless you are simply gathering sympathy for those we are at war with?

January 12, 2013 at 12:39 pm |

JC

You have no idea what Jesus would think, say, or do, but the Bible is full of respectful references to soldiers. It's not your place to judge Romesha. He didn't decide where he would be sent or what he would be asked to do. He just lived up to the oath he had taken, and did it in powers of ten. He acted to protect his fellow soldiers, at great risk. We are not honoring the war he was in, or the people or sent him into it. We are honoring HIM, his bravery, his selfless actions, and his amazing dedication to the people he was leading.

January 12, 2013 at 1:18 pm |

Maria

The derogatory commentary is out of place when a person exhibits this kind of valor and bravery and tries his best to save his men. I am sure he and others thought they were going to die, so they tried to save as many as they could and make the enemy pay a price as well. Those who call him a "killer" haven't a clue what sacrifices military life demands. I am sure that those "killers" will continue to serve this country well, even at great cost to them and their families. Grow up! And yes, I am a democrat, but I am thankful for those who protect us and serve this country.

While we can certainly respect faith, and dedication to learning any given subject – Would it not be a better use of time to focus children, in their formative years about science and practical work? Like a morning technical training session? Technology, or office skills, blue collar vocations? Something that they can actually use?

Thank you Clinton Romesha for your service to our country. It will never be forgotten. You did your duty and we are grateful for it. Freedom is not free it is being paid with interest by soldiers that are selfless and brave such as yourself.

Just to clarify a couple things presented in this article – you don't attend seminary in the morning to go into leadership into the LDS church. Infact, you can't do anything in an attempt to become leadership – you are called if they feel you are a good fit regardless of your efforts.

Seminary is a program the youth in the church attend generally in the morning before school to study the scriptures. It is not a program for becoming a leader in the church as this article suggests.

The article stated he will be the fourth living recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. There are currently over 70 living recipients of this award. Thomas Custer (twice), Audie Murphy, Arthur MacArthur, Jr., and Douglas MacArthur were living recipients. Some one need to either learn to research better or learn how to write a sentence properly. Perhaps he is the fourth living recipient from the Afghanistan War.

Those who support the great society that has resulted in the death of thousands of Americans over the last 45 years trash this brave solider calling him a killer. Their votes each November kill far more people than our military does in every corner of the world.
Over 500 homicides in Chicago alone making it far more dangerous than Baghdad or Kabul, nice work, keep voting Democrat.

Thank you Clinton, for fighting for my freedoms and my family's freedoms. It's because of people like you that I can sleep soundly at night, and can enjoy the freedoms bestowed to me by this country. Congratulations on your award, and the honor that you, and very few others, truly deserve.

Because they're ashamed of their own cowardice and purposeless life, I'd venture to say.

January 12, 2013 at 12:11 pm |

james

they don't hate america, they hate war and killing. they believe there should be a better way, but unfortunately, there is not.

January 12, 2013 at 12:30 pm |

GaDawg

obiviously Critic you are very ignorant, this youngman is over there giving his life, doing as he is told and respenting USA as best as he can, once again you r dumb he didnt attack NO one they attack him! Im sure that day he would love to sit behind a CPU and critise idiviuals like you do. U r a coward

When there is heroism on a specific date & time, it's usually a soldier taking care of this brothers and sisters (his unit) rather than for the US. He is there as a patriot, but on that day, he was trying to save his buddies.

January 12, 2013 at 12:21 pm |

Jack Envoy

In that situation, it's either kill or be killed. And he was not killing just for his own survival but also for his team.
Put yourself in his situation and see what would happen if you try to talk Christian values with those surround you with machine guns and rpgs.
Christian value or any other religious values are just ideologies; when you are obsessed with them and let them overrule common sense, you are on the path of becoming a fanatic.

You are a disgrace to yourself, your country and anyone who associates with you. It's people like yourself who make me scared for my unborn children. "Celebrate christian values" and yet you trash a hero, who was willing to give his life so you could choose to celebrate your christian values. If not for him, you may have to get on your knees and give it up to that mohammed guy.

Jon – you must be a sad little man still living in your Mom's basement if you felt the need to denigrate Sergeant Romesha's Medal of Honor with your poltical agenda. There are plenty of other venues you can do that in, leave this man who did above and beyond his duty alone.

He DIDN'T denigrate the Medal of Honor. He simply pointed out secondary information about the whole conflict which is equally relevant.

Have you ever been to Afghanistan? I have. Three times on mission with MSF. You don't have a clue what you're talking about and the only way to prevent a travesty like this happening again is to ACKNOWLEDGE THE MISTAKES MADE. Get it?

Probably not.

January 12, 2013 at 11:54 am |

Jon

You allow yourself to praise him because you have numbed yourself to the suffering of your enemies, just like Al-Queda. Just like all belligerents in war. The truth is that this young man and his comrades should never have been in harms way. It is a pointless mission. If I took a trip to Somolia tomorrow and just started killing militant Islamists as a civilian, out of uniform, people would call me crazy, an opportunist and bloodthirsty, seeking a fight where there need not be one.

This guy wanted to kill. He could have done anything else with his life, but he wanted to go to Afghanistan and kill people. He signed up for a job that put him in the middle of a desert filled with people who want to kill him, so he could have a chance to kill them. He wanted to feel the thrill of seeing his enemie's brains spill out into the sand. He sought out this violence. He traveled thousands of miles to experience death and caranage. And we reward him. And our country is no safer, and somewhere in Afganistan a little kid is being told that their father was killed by another American. And that kid is going to grow up and become a terrorist to avenge his father. And the cycle of suffering continues.

January 12, 2013 at 11:57 am |

Hooligan

why? because he's right?

January 12, 2013 at 11:57 am |

Yeah

yeah your right no reason at all we should just let terrorist grow stong and hate america and just let them fly planes in to every town and just give up because they are in the right.

Neitherof you two idiots have ever talked to SSgt Romesha I take it..So you don't really know his motivations for serving our nation, yet you spew hatred like you know when you are in fact clueless. You want to make some points about foreign policy, fine, but don't call this hero names because he's a better human being than you two trolls are..

January 12, 2013 at 12:49 pm |

Brian

He was trying to survive and help his men do the same – that's seems like a good reason to me. When you're out on the battlefield, politics don't exist; all that matters is the guy next to you.

I'm curious, Jon: how do you know that Romesha joined the Army to kill? I believe most young people enlist to serve their country. You lose all reasonable credibility when you state, "He wanted to feel the thrill of seeing his enemie's (sic) brains spill out into (sic) the sand." How dare you judge the motivation of this American hero?

Because that's what they do. Have you watched the footage where they killed the innocent civilians from a helicopter? it sounded like a computer game. They rejoiced in killing. Yes, it is the blood thirsty types who volunteer to go and occupy somebody else's land. (No, I don't like the Taliban, but this could have happened in any other country. Those kids love the thrill of killing. )

January 12, 2013 at 12:40 pm |

MarkinGA

Stupid comment.Our political leaders make the decisions where to put our troops. SSgt Romesha was simply trying to keep his fellow soldiers alive and displayed courage and bravery while doing it. Stop politicizing him...

It didn't mean he was preparing to be a monk or anything. The writer is probably Catholic or something and thinks it was the equivolent of studying to be a priest. It's not. You just do it before school or sub a period of class, which is what I stupidly did rather than take electronics or biology or something more useful.

January 12, 2013 at 5:05 pm |

John

I am delighted that this brave guy is being recognized for extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty. If he's like most guys in this category, he probably never even mentioned it. Until this was publicly announced, I doubt if any of his colleagues at work even knew what he did. In 1984 I attended an in-service school at a Federal law enforcement academy and had a very quiet roommate. We became pretty good friends for a number of years, but then I lost contact with him. Years later in 1999 I opened my newspaper in Texas to see him standing in the Oval Office in front of Bill Clinton receiving the Medal of Honor for saving his platoon in Vietnam. In all the years I knew him, he never mentioned his military service one time.

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